Continuous Improvement Manager; Manufacturing

HTI is assisting an international manufacturing company in Augusta, GA with their search for an experienced Continuous Improvement Manager
.

• This is a full-time, onsite, direct hire position that reports to the COO.
• The salary range is $120,000 - $150,000/year, depending on experience.
• The company offers a positive company culture and fantastic benefits.
• This position is eligible for annual bonuses.
• Relocation assistance is available.

The Continuous Improvement Manager is responsible for driving operational excellence and optimizing processes within the company. This role involves developing and implementing continuous improvement programs and strategies, leading a cross‑functional implementation team, and fostering and spreading a culture of continuous improvement.

• Must have 5+ years of recent experience in a Continuous Improvement Manager or Operational Excellence role performing the job duties listed below within the manufacturing industry. Must have 10+ years of total manufacturing experience.
• Must have experience in a food product, pharmaceutical, or chemical manufacturing plant
• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Business or a related field. Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering or MBA preferred.
• Must have Lean Six Sigma certification
  ;
  Shingo Institute certification, TPS experience, etc. preferred.
• Systems experience required: MS Office/intermediate Excel skills,
  SAP
  /ERP, and KPI/ data visualization/ dashboard implementation
  ;
  Minitab and Power BI experience preferred. AutoCAD is a plus.
• Proven expertise in process analysis tools and techniques, including Kaizen, Lean initiatives, 5S, etc.
• Experience with real‑time performance tracking, conducting root cause analysis, and implementing successful process changes
• Hoshin Kanri, A3, RCA, DMAIC-lite, and Go & Observe experience
• Strong, professional written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving abilities

• Design and implement the facility’s Continuous Improvement operating system that creates consistency in problem solving, leadership presence, communication, and team engagement, including core management routines such as Gemba walks, communication cascades.
• Develop and deploy the CI roadmap (short-, mid-, and long-term), ensuring alignment with corporate strategy, safety priorities, and site performance objectives.
• Translate vision, strategy, and True North objectives into clear, visible, and actionable systems, using strategic visualization tools and planning such as Hoshin-Kanri.
• Develop and deploy standard visual management, and standard problem‑solving processes (such as A3, RCA, DMAIC-lite, Go & Observe).
• Serve as the primary catalyst for culture change, instilling daily habits and behaviors that promote accountability, transparency, continuous learning, and teamwork.
• Coach and influence the leadership team in CI behaviors, structured communication, and problem solving.
• Facilitate leadership adoption of standard work, promoting disciplined routines and proactive engagement on the plant floor.
• Embed Gemba as the default approach to understanding problems, coaching leaders and teams to “go see” with curiosity and respect.
• Partner with operations, maintenance, quality, supply chain, and engineering to identify and prioritize improvement opportunities across the organization.
• Manage the CI project portfolio and support the integration of CI initiatives with the CAPEX portfolio and strategic operational projects.
• Develop the CI capability roadmap (training programs, workshops, certifications) to progressively build internal talent and autonomy.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, 5S initiatives, visual management improvements, and cross‑functional workshops to stimulate idea generation and employee engagement.
• Support supervisors and managers in developing strong performance‑management habits.
• Develop and validate KPIs with internal departments.
• Regularly report CI progress, cultural indicators, and improvement opportunities to leadership.
• Support the harmonization of CI practices between the company’s U.S. plants.